


stayed up late to hear your voice

by Mireille



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Episode: s05e06 The Shrine, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-08-24
Updated: 2008-08-24
Packaged: 2019-03-21 12:58:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13741386
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mireille/pseuds/Mireille
Summary: A short missing scene from 5x06, "The Shrine."





	stayed up late to hear your voice

The third time Rodney wakes up, disoriented and scared and shouting John's name, John gives up on his plan of sleeping on the floor. He gets to his feet, picking up his pillow and blanket, and stretches. "Move over," he says, and Rodney slides over, turning onto his side to make room for John to lie next to him.   
  
John lies down without hesitation. Rodney has already told them, haltingly--Rodney, who could talk a thousand miles a minute, has to stop every few seconds to try to find the words that slip away from him hour by hour--that he hates waking up in the morning, hates discovering the cumulative effects of eight hours of the parasite's growth.   
  
John doesn't know yet how to stop that, but he can at least make sure Rodney doesn't wake up alone. If this works, hell, he'll convince Keller to let Rodney sleep here for the next few days, as long as it's helping. There's damned little John can do, but at least there's this.   
  
Rodney's lost some of his defenses, or forgotten the need for them; he curls against John trustingly, his back pressed to John's chest, and when John can't find a better place for his arm than draped over Rodney, he feels some of the tension leave Rodney's body.   
  
"'Night, Rodney," John mumbles, his face buried in Rodney's hair, and Rodney murmurs something in return; his breathing is already slowing, becoming deep and even, and it's not long before Rodney's asleep.   
  
His mouth is only a fraction of an inch from Rodney's neck; he's tempted to kiss him, even just a quick press of his lips against the skin, something he's never let himself do, for a million reasons.   
  
But letting himself kiss Rodney now would feel like saying goodbye, so John closes his eyes and tries to sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> [me on tumblr](https://mireille719.tumblr.com)


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